Every van has a compliance plate listing its limits. The two that matter most:
- ATM (aggregate trailer mass) is the most the van can weigh fully loaded, including what’s on the tow ball.
- GTM (gross trailer mass) is the most that can sit on the van’s own axles.
Your tow ball weight is typically around 10% of the loaded van. It counts against your vehicle’s payload, so a heavy ball load can push the car over its GVM even when the van is within its ATM.
Weigh the van and car loaded the way you actually travel: water, gas, food, gear and passengers. Brochure figures are empty weights and are rarely what’s on the road.
